The Fall Practice Period at Tassajara is a time to enter the mountains and to deeply settle our practice of zazen, and manifest each activity as zazen.

Our study will focus on core teachings from Chapter Two of The Lotus Sutra, "Skillful Means." We will focus on two of Dogen's fascicles from the Treasury of the True Dharma Eye, where these teachings are brought forth, including "Only Buddha and A Buddha," "The Reality of All Things," as well as the "Dharma for Taking Food" from Dogen's Pure Standards for the Zen Community. We will greatly benefit by the commentary in Living By Vow by Shohaku Okumura.

Tassajara’s ninety-day practice period follows the traditional Soto Zen monastic schedule. The practice period is an opportunity for experienced practitioners to join with the Tassajara community in intensive practice at Zen Mountain Center (Zenshinji).

Prerequisite for practice at Tassajara is completion of at least one residential practice period at San Francisco Zen Center’s City Center or Green Gulch Farm; or equivalent experience.

Practice Period fees*: $3400 US (plus $30 application fee), which covers room, board and tuition. Payment in full is required upon arrival at Tassajara unless another arrangement is made in advance with the director. Unfortunately, we are not able to offer financial scholarships for practice periods. However, a scholarship (which includes room, board and tuition) may be earned by participating in the Work Practice Apprenticeship Program.

(*As the basic operating expenses for the practice period are in excess of $4500 per student, please feel free to donate more if you are able.)

Eijun Linda Cutts (Central Abbess)Eijun Linda Cutts came to San Francisco Zen Center in 1971, was ordained as a priest in 1975, and has resided at Green Gulch Farm since 1993. In 1996 Linda received dharma transmission from Tenshin Reb Anderson. Having served as Abbess of San Francisco Zen Center from 2000 to 2007, she was appointed Abiding Abbess of Green Gulch Farm Zen Center in 2010, and Central Abbess of SFZC in 2014. She continues to teach and lead practice periods and retreats at Tassajara, Green Gulch, Mexico, Italy and elsewhere, and has been leading Yoga-Zen retreats and workshops for many years.